OLD BICYCLES—WHERE DO THEY GO?

Southern Cross, Volume 4, Issue 42, 30 January 1897, Page 7

OLD BICYCLES—WHERE DO THEY GO?

‘ The majority of second - hand machines,’ replied a dealer in these commodities, in answer to a query, ‘ are shipped abroad—lndia, Sierra Leone, and Sydney being the best markets. From these different centres they are either sold or bartered to the poorer residents or natives of the upcountry districts by travelling dealers, who in almost every case dispose of the machine for twice its original cost. Carious, indeed, are the experiences of these men. Only this day I received a letter fropi a small village in Central India recording the instance of an old ‘Rover’ of the veritable boneshaker type being bartered to an Indian for a baby elephant! Truly a queer exchange. Not a few machines, however,’ added our informant, ‘ are bought by unscrupulous makers, who, after a plentiful and judicious supply of enamel and nickle plate, foist the machine on the unsuspecting novice, who is, alas! too frequently anxious to possess a handsome rather than serviceable mount. The auction rooms also are responsible for the disposal of some hundreds of secondhand cycles. The purchasers of these range from the would-be cyclist, possessed of more enthusiasm than ready cash, down to the humble labouring man, whom one may see early in the morning trundling merrily on a machine which, if not made to suit the requirements of the up-to-date cyclist, answers his purpose admirably.’